by Sophie Stern
She would say anything.
But when Bella opened her mouth, the words she said were, “I want your cock.”
**
Matthew blinked twice. Was he hearing things, or had the little shifter actually whispered, “I want your cock”?
She bit her bottom lip and stared up at him. Oh, those beautiful blue sapphires were perfect. He’d never met someone as sweet as this little bear. She was definitely his mate. Definitely. Had to be. They’d both know soon enough, especially once they were intimate, but Matthew was willing to bet his rank she was the one he’d been waiting for, searching for.
He wanted to know why she was in the woods. Where had she come from? Was she a wild bear? Did she live on base? Was she in the Air Force, too? Somehow, he thought he would have seen her before or come across her if she worked on Forrest AFB.
But all of those thoughts disappeared when she spoke.
Her sweet, sing-song voice filled the air and he moved forward without knowing what he was doing. He was being reckless, really, but he couldn’t help himself. He needed her, needed her with all of his being. He’d never craved another person – human or shifter – the way he was aching for her right now.
He didn’t even know her name, but he knew he was about to bring her more pleasure than she’d ever experienced before in her life.
He was about to give her everything.
He lifted her up and held her against his chest. The woman’s legs wrapped around his waist and her breasts pushed against him. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the nose before taking her mouth, kissing her soft, plump lips.
Honey.
She tasted like honey.
Matthew was no virgin, but being with a woman had never felt like this before. His hands gripped her ass as he held her, dominating her mouth, making her his.
His.
He was going to mark her, bite her, complete her. He wanted all of her, everything she had.
Matthew lifted one hand and threaded it through her soft locks. Blonde, like his. She was so soft, so perfect. The little bear was thick and curvy, soft, sweet. He was none of those things. No, Matthew was hard and ragged, edged. He had lived the life of an airman and his appearance reflected that. He was sturdy and strong, scarred and broken. He was jaded, but he had a feeling she was about to change all that.
Oh, she was about to change everything.
In the moonlight, he carried her to a soft patch of grass. She was still kissing him. Every inch of him that was within her reach was covered with her kisses. She got his neck, his cheeks, even his nose.
“More, more,” she murmured, urging him on as he spread her on the soft ground. She lay there, sprawled out like a delicious treat.
“Wanton,” he murmured with a smile. She shrugged. Oh yes, this woman was definitely his mate. She couldn’t quite seem to get enough of him and he loved that. He stood over her and just watched her, just appreciating her every curve.
Matthew wanted to kiss and suck on her breasts until her nipples were hard and begging for mercy. He wanted to nibble her neck all the way up to her ears. He wanted to fuck her until she was sated and tired and his.
He decided to start by licking her pussy.
He lowered himself between her spread legs, his knees settling in the soft grass. They would both need to go swim after this to get cleaned up, but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t let a little thing like dirt keep him from his mate. Not now. Not when he’d finally found her.
“Oh, what are you doing?” She squeaked out, but she didn’t smell like fear or anxiety. She smelled like excitement, like joy. Her scent radiated adventure and happiness and Matthew wanted to bring her more of that.
He wanted to make her smile, make her laugh, make her happy. Most of all, at that moment, he wanted to make her come.
Hard.
He kissed the inside of her thigh and the woman immediately stopped talking. Her words were replaced with moans. Moans, he could deal with. Words? He wasn’t so great with those.
“Tell me your name,” he murmured, kissing up her leg. Softly, slowly, patiently. He was going to make her come undone. He was going to make her cry out for him, make him yell his name here in the woods.
“Bella,” she breathed out.
He rewarded her with a kiss at the top of her thigh.
“Oh, more,” she murmured, all modesty gone. If she had any to begin with, which Matthew doubted because she was a bear, it had vanished.
Good. That meant he was doing his job.
She raised her hips slightly, pushing them up, giving him easy access to every inch of her gorgeous body. Matthew leaned forward and tasted her for the first time.
“Fuck, you’re amazing,” he murmured, and licked her again. Again. Again. He played her body like an instrument; her moans were the sweet sounds of the music they created together.
He nibbled and kissed, sucked and licked until her body tensed.
“I’m going to…” she murmured.
“Come on, baby,” Matthew kept up the pace. “Come for me, baby. Come, bear.”
Bella shouted as she came, her whole body shaking and shivering. To Matthew, it was the sweetest sound in the world. His mate had come undone beneath his lips, had come just for him in the solitude of the forest.
The stars were out and the moon shone bright, but nothing compared to Bella.
4.
“That was…” she murmured, but couldn’t seem to find any other words.
Perfect?
Wonderful?
Amazing?
Nothing could accurately describe what she had felt while her shifter – and she was definitely already thinking of him as “hers” – licked her body.
“I know,” he murmured, snuggling up next to her. His hands traced her skin and she shivered as he touched her sensitive flesh. Every part of her body felt alive, awake. Every inch of her skin felt like it might explode.
“What’s your name?” She whispered. He already knew hers.
“Matthew,” he said.
“Matthew,” Bella tested the name on her lips. She liked it. Oh, yes, they were going to get along just fine. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to just feel him close to her. He ran his fingers around each nipple, then up and down her stomach. He avoided touching her pussy again, which only made her want him more, made her want him inside of her.
After a few minutes, Bella couldn’t take anymore of the teasing. She pushed him down on his back and he looked surprised.
“What can I say?” She smirked. “I’m a go-getter.” Bella swung her other leg over Matthew’s body so she was straddling him, grinding against his body.
She placed her hands on his chest and just looked at him for a long minute. He was handsome, beautiful even. His eyes practically glowed in the moonlight and if there had been any doubt about his arousal before, there was certainly none now. His cock pressed at her entrance and she rocked her hips for a moment, teasing him.
He groaned.
“Baby,” he said. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
Bella just chuckled. She wanted more. All of him. Everything he could give her, she wanted. She didn’t have a lot to offer and she didn’t have a lot going for her, but she had this moment and she wouldn’t have chosen anyone else to share it with.
Who would have thought a stressful day could have led to something so fantastic happening? Certainly not Bella. She scratched her nails gently down his chest until they were resting on his hips. Matthew closed his eyes.
How did he like this? Rough and hard? Playful and soft? Gentle and romantic?
Maybe they’d try it every way. After all, they had all night. She tried not to think about what would happen in the morning. Maybe they’d never see each other again. Maybe it should be that way, less awkwardness, for sure. She wanted to think maybe he was her mate. She wanted to. Needed to. She wanted the hope that came with that dream, but this was just a moment.
Just a moment in time and Bella wanted
to make the most of it while she could.
When the sun came up, she would have to go back to being Brent’s sister. She would go back to being the new sister-in-law, the bridesmaid, the smiling girl who didn’t complain. Tonight, though, tonight was hers. Tonight she was going to play with this bear and show him what she was made of. Tonight she was going to rock his world the way only she could.
Before she could second guess herself, before she could hesitate or talk herself out of what she was doing, Bella lowered herself onto Matthew’s length. She bit her lip as she took him inside of her, but her eyes never left his. They glowed fiercely and she wanted him even more. His cock pulsed inside of her and she shivered, squeezing him, feeling him deep.
“Baby, you’re so tight,” he murmured, but he didn’t move. He gave her a moment to adjust to his size, and for that, Bella was thankful. He was bigger than she was used to. Thicker. She ran her hands up and down his chest again, then leaned forward and swept her breasts over him.
Bella slowly began to swirl her hips around. Matthew reached out and held her waist firmly as she did, guiding her softly, slowly. His eyes never left hers and Bella was caught off guard by the sheer intimacy of the moment. Sex had always been good for her, but intense? Never. Not like this.
Bella shifted her legs so she was on her feet instead of her knees and began bouncing up and down. She quickened the pace and raised herself up before lowering herself back down over and over, just watching him as she did. She might be riding him, but he was owning her. Bella had no doubt what thought was running through his head.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
It was written all over his face, but she loved it. She wouldn’t change this moment for anything or anyone.
“Fuck,” Matthew murmured. He pulled her hair with one hand and twisted her nipple with the other, eliciting a squeal of surprise and delight from Bella. Maybe she did like it a little rough, after all. Her pussy clenched around him as she started to thrust upward into her in time with her.
She clung to him, keeping her hands on his chest, needing him to balance her, to keep her grounded.
Bella thought that if she didn’t hang on tight enough, this felt so good that she might just float away.
She had never felt that way before.
**
The girl knew how to ride a dick.
That was the thought that swept through Matthew’s mind as Bella slid up and down on him. He didn’t care if she’d been with people before. She obviously had, but that didn’t matter. He had, too. More importantly, he wasn’t one of those guys who had to be a girl’s first-and-only.
What Matthew cared most about was Bella’s sweet spirit and sassy personality.
And yeah, she knew how to ride.
He was glad, in a way, that she was so comfortable in her own skin. Many girls were nervous or self-conscious, but not her. No, she had taken charge right away, climbed on top of him, and fucked him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
If she kept going like this, he was going to be the one coming undone like a horny teenager on the third date.
He traced the curve of her spine with his fingertips. She arched her back, thrusting her breasts forward, and he pulled her closer to him so he could lick her. She tasted perfect, sweet, wonderful.
Matthew bit down on one and swirled his tongue around, just a little. She moaned. Her voice was perfect and sweet, singing out into the darkness of the forest. The stars shone bright, but they had nothing on sweet Bella.
Nothing compared to how perfect she was.
He slipped his thumb down to where their bodies connected and began rubbing her gently. He wanted to feel her come on him, wanting her to clench him so hard he couldn’t hold back anymore, wanted to see her close her eyes in pleasure once more.
“Come for me, darling,” he murmured, and Bella nodded slowly. Her body tightened as she continued to ride him. She slowed slightly, focusing on her climax, and he made up for it by thrusting harder, deeper into her.
When she came, she threw her head back and whispered his name, and he couldn’t hold back anymore.
He came, there in the darkness, inside of his perfect mate.
His one and only.
His Bella.
5.
After a brief swim as humans, and then as bears, Bella realized it was late.
Really late.
“I should go,” she said, shifting back once more. Her voice was regretful because, she realized with surprise, she was genuinely sad the night was over.
“You should stay,” Matthew countered when he shifted back, too. Oh, he was a bear she could get used to. He was a bear she wanted to get used to, but Bella’s life was complicated. As the haze of lust began to lift, Bella realized that she really didn’t have a place in her life for a guy. Not right now. Her world was too messed up. Her life was ridiculous right now.
And lame.
Her life was super lame.
There was no room in it right now for anything besides job-hunting. While she thought spending more time with Matthew would be fun and interesting, she didn’t really have time for fun. Not now. Bella had to prove to her parents, to her friends, and most of all, to Brent, that she could do this whole “adult” thing. She needed to find something she could do to fit in, find a job, find something to prove she was a grownup.
She’d failed at many things, but Bella didn’t want to fail at this.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She reached out and touched his cheek. “This was really special to me. Thank you.” She stroked his skin for just a moment, trying to memorize all of his features. She might never see him again, but she didn’t want to forget this night.
This night was the first time she had been wild, impulsive, and free.
This night was the first time she had been crazy without worrying about how her choices might impact the rest of her life.
This night was the first time she had really felt truly, completely, and totally alive.
And Bella feared this night would be the last time she ever felt that was.
“Thank you,” she whispered once more to Matthew.
He looked confused when she said it, almost lost, and more than a bit surprised. Did he think this was going to be some sort of relationship? It was just a romp in the woods, Bella lied to herself. Just a romp.
“Wait,” he started to say, but Bella was already gone. She ran through the darkness of the woods, retracing her steps back to where she had left her clothes. She tried not to think too much about the tears that were running down her face. There was no reason she shouldn’t leave. There was no reason she should stay. They had enjoyed a wonderful evening together, but that’s all it had been: an evening.
Why should she stay longer with a stranger?
Why should she try to think their connection had been more than just a momentary fling?
She wasn’t naïve. She wasn’t. No, Bella was fierce. That’s what she was. Fierce, loyal, brave. She was strong. She was capable. She wouldn’t get all caught up in a tiff about some shifter she happened to meet who also happened to be the best sex of her life. No, she wouldn’t. The word mate had registered in her mind more than once, but that’s all it was: a word. It didn’t mean anything. The sex didn’t mean anything. The connection didn’t mean anything.
Stuff like that happened in fairytales: not to girls from Alaska.
She would go back to the hotel, take a long bath, and go to bed. Alone. She would be fine.
Bella slipped into her dress, pulling the thin fabric over her head. She grabbed her bag and put her shoes on, then she kept walking. She headed toward the road and started walking along the side of it. She needed to get back to town, to her family.
Fuck, she hoped her mom wasn’t worried about her. How long had she been out here, anyway? Too long, she guessed. It was well into the night and hopefully, no one had noticed she wasn’t in bed. She yanked out her phone, but was dismayed to find she didn’t have cell service. Of cour
se not.
Why would she?
That would simply be too easy.
She should have thought this through before she had the cab bring her to the foothills. Just another way Bella wasn’t mature enough to call herself an adult. How had Brent gotten all the brains in the family? She sighed and hiked up her skirts. It couldn’t be more than a few miles back to town. If she hurried, she could be back before sunup.
Oh, she’d be totally useless in the morning, but a little coffee would cure that.
Bella walked along the dark road, making her way slowly out of the foothills. Tomorrow, or maybe today, if it was past midnight, she would have to play the perfect would-be sister-in-law to Mary. Sweet Mary was gorgeous and perfect and cute. She was the ideal mate for Brent and part of Bella was thrilled her brother had found someone.
That part was very small, though.
The rest of her was engulfed with jealousy.
She was so petty. Worst of all: she knew it! She should be happy for her brother, but she was too caught up in her own problems and issues.
Mary really was sweet. She’d been in a bad relationship that Brent had essentially saved her from. He told Bella he knew the minute he smelled Mary – yes, smelled her! – that she was “the one” for him. Was that all it took to find a mate? A scent? A smell? A feeling?
Bella felt like she needed more than that to know for sure.
Being a shifter wasn’t like being a human. Humans, they could have lots of mates. There were plenty of potentials. With shifters, you only had one “true” mate. You could marry someone and be happy, sure. You could even have kids together. Brent’s friend Jake had done that. Jake had been married and had a child with a woman who wasn’t his mate. He had been happy, but he had immediately known the difference when he met Heather, his other half.
Would Bella know?
She wanted to think her mystery man from the woods was her mate.
Matthew.
He’d said his name was Matthew.